


Dancing in the Moonlight

by Kiaya



Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Andy is a little shit, Booker is at Andy's mercy (Did he really think she wasn’t going to dip and twirl him around?), Campfires, Dancing, F/F, Fighting bandits, Immortal Wives Andy | Andromache of Scythia/Quynh | Noriko, Implied Sexual Content, Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani and Nicky | Nicolò di Genova are in Love, Just the four of them having adventures, Kissing, M/M, Nicolo is a terrible dancer, Nile is a peacemaker, Quynh is a cinnamon roll
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:27:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27674696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiaya/pseuds/Kiaya
Summary: Nicolo is taught how to dance by Quynh under a moonlit night. Too bad he is a terrible dancer. A slice of life when it was just the immortal wives and husbands traveling together.Then fast forward to the Immortal Family having a Dance Off in their safe house. Who will be crowned the winner before Joe is too drunk to properly judge? Hijinks ensue.
Relationships: Andy | Andromache of Scythia & Quynh | Noriko, Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Comments: 17
Kudos: 101





	1. A Good Day to Learn New Tricks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this lovely fanart.](https://twitter.com/45gnt3_3/status/1329288603575283713?s=19) I love the look on Nicolo's face!

It had been a grueling week but they had finally finished their job. 

The local village had been plagued by mountain bandits that were stealing their flock. They feared that soon, they would move on to stealing women and children. It was a detour but when the village headman pleaded, it had been impossible to ignore. 

Luckily for them, the four immortal warriors knew a thing or two about killing bandits. Most of the week had been spent on watching and analysing their targets. Once a plan had been hatched, it was carried out flawlessly. Andromache led the charge, as usual, while Quynh provided support from afar. When the thieves had been fully ensnared by the women, Yusuf and Nicolo attacked from behind in an ambush. The bandits barely had time to react before they were all struck down.

After settling their rewards of food and other supplies, they left the happy village behind. But only a few hours of travel passed before it was necessary to set up camp. A small clearing within a forested area provided the perfect place to stop.

Andromache built the fire while Quynh and Yusuf skinned the rabbits that they had caught earlier. Even on horseback, Quynh's aim was true and she easily shot the poor creatures through the eye. Nicolo was settling the horses down for the night, whispering sweet words while rubbing their soft noses. Andromache smiled at how content the animals were under Nicolo's gentle administration. 

“Is the fire ready yet, my heart?”

She looked up at the sound of Quynh’s voice. Andromache put a few more branches into the fire and watched them burn. “It looks good to me.”

Yusuf carried the rabbit carcasses that were skewered with sticks. He placed them at an angle toward the fire and stabbed them deep into the dirt. The fire hissed from the blood that fell from the raw flesh. 

“It shouldn’t take too long,” said Yusuf. “They are young and the meat is tender.” He walked over to the nearby stream and washed his hands. Quynh had already cleaned her hands and started setting out their bedrolls closer to the fire.

Nicolo brought over the waterskins from their packs and placed them by each of his traveling companions. He smiled at Andromache. “We did some good today.”

“That we did, Nicolo. Hopefully they won’t have bandit problems for a while.” Andromache settled herself by the fire and took out her labrys to sharpen. Her movements were smooth and sure as the stone moved over the shining edge of her weapon. 

“Do you think more will show up?” Nicolo asked. The frown on his face showed how much he disliked the idea.

“Sadly, that is inevitable,” said Quynh. She sat beside Andromache and started her own weapon maintenance. “Humans go where there are opportunities. That includes thieves.”

A sigh came from the former priest. A few decades have passed since that fateful day in Jerusalem but Nicolo still carried a weight that was lodged deep in his heart. The small contentment he had felt over helping the villagers quickly dissipated under Quynh’s pragmatic statement. 

Gently, Yusuf placed his hand on Nicolo’s shoulder. “But for tonight, the village is safe and they celebrate.” He pointed to their packs, full of their reward. “Maybe we should be celebrating as well?”

Andromache slapped her hands together in agreement. “What an excellent idea, Yusuf!” She jabbed a finger toward Nicolo. “That one has a tendency to brood. Shall we shake him up a bit, my love?” She looked at Quynh and grinned mischievously. 

“Well, we do have to wait for our dinner to cook. How about I teach Nicolo a dance to pass the time?” Quynh suggested with glee in her voice. She watched as Nicolo’s face dropped and he started shaking his head.

“I don’t think this is a good idea. Even back home, I was a terrible dancer and my sisters declared me hopeless,” pleaded Nicolo. 

But Quynh was already going through their bags and not listening. She found what she was looking for and tossed the instrument to Yusuf. “There you go, my dear. Surely you will not begrudge us a song?”

Nicolo looked at Yusuf in panic but the other man gave a helpless shrug in return. “My apologies, Nicolo but you know how they are once they get an idea in their heads.” He started strumming to test the strings for tension. 

“You hear that, just give up Nicolo and let Quynh teach you how to dance!” Somehow in that small span of time, Andromache already found the bottle of wine that the village headman had given her. She pressed her lips to the opening and took a long drink. “We did a good thing tonight so let’s enjoy the fruits of our labor!”

Before Nicolo could protest further, Quynh had taken him by the hands and guided him to an open space. She stopped and then looked at Yusuf expectantly. “How about something with a good beat?”

Yusuf laughed and gestured grandly toward her. “It shall be done!” He took the pick and started plucking the strings in rapid motion. Then his voice joined the instrument as he sang a bawdy song about ships and sailors newly arrived at port.

Quynh whooped in celebration and started moving to the beat of the music. “Come on, Nicolo! Just watch how I move my feet and copy it!”

Nicolo was flustered but he tried to keep up with her. As instructed, he looked down and tried to mimic her movements. Unfortunately, his sisters had been right and he indeed possessed two left feet. Andromache laughed loudly as she watched the knight struggle. Quynh on the other hand, moved gracefully while still holding firmly onto Nicolo.

Yusuf’s fingers slowed down slightly to give Nicolo more time to adjust to the melody. His beloved shot him a look of gratitude and Yusuf nodded his head in acknowledgement. 

It took a few more verses but Nicolo started to get the hang of it. Quynh was quick in her movements but he adjusted his clumsiness to not hinder her. A few more enthusiastic songs later, Nicolo was putting on a decent display. 

Quynh giggled and called out to Yusuf. “Enough coddling him! Now pick up the speed!”

Andromache cheered again as she watched her lover spin Nicolo around the fire. The poor man was flushed red but he was at least attempting to keep up. They spun around a few more times and when Yusuf finished his song with a loud flourish, both Nicolo and Quynh collapsed breathlessly on to the ground beside them.

Clapping enthusiastically, Andromache was on her feet. “Oh, that was marvelous! Next time we need a distraction for our enemies, we’ll send Nicolo in first with his dancing shoes!”

Nicolo scowled at her as he tried to catch his breath. “I’ll have you know that Quynh still has unscathed feet despite being my dance partner. That’s an improvement, I assure you.”

Andromache took another gulp of wine and smiled at the petulant look on Nicolo’s face. “Then perhaps I should show her what a _real_ dance partner should be?" She got up and took Quynh's hand in hers. She easily lifted the smaller woman up and pressed their lips together. Quynh melted into the embrace and sighed happily when Andromache pulled away. 

"Shall we dance then?" Andromache asked.

"I think I would like that," replied Quynh. She started leading Andromache away toward the trees. "Don't let the rabbits burn while we're gone!" 

And with that, the two women left the men to tend the fire and their meals.

Yusuf looked over at Nicolo and saw a blush work its way across his cheeks. They had been traveling with Andromache and Quynh for three years now. They knew full well what happened when the two women slipped away for privacy. It was so endearing to Yusuf that Nicolo still got embarrassed over it. He reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind Nicolo's ear. "Why do you blush when you and I also lay in the same manner?"

Nicolo flushed even brighter at this statement. He remembered the first time he and Yusuf had kissed. It had been a night similar to this one. The stars had shone brightly above as Yusuf tentatively touched their lips together. The knight had frozen in momentary shock before returning the kiss with fumbling desperation. A decade of mutual longing had finally broken that night into unabashed passion.

"I am not flustered at the idea of them being with each other," said Nicolo. Then he swallowed audibly and looked at Yusuf with a heated gaze. "I'm embarrassed because my thoughts immediately went to you."

Yusuf carefully placed the instrument on the ground beside him. He wouldn't want such a precious treasure to be damaged because of his carelessness. "And what exactly were you thinking of, my other half?" He took Nicolo's hand and kissed the knuckles. Yusuf smiled in pleasure when his beloved responded by leaning in closer.

"I was just wondering how much longer the rabbit needed to cook." Nicolo wrapped his arms around Yusuf's neck. "Because your terrible songs have given me some ideas."

Yusuf made a mental note to learn some new songs in the next town they visited. He gathered Nicolo into his arms and touched their foreheads together. "I suspect we have enough time before our dinner needs our attention."

Nicolo hummed in pleasure as Yusuf pulled him tighter for a wet kiss.

*******************

Later that evening, they settled comfortably into their respective bedrolls. Then with a loud sarcastic voice, Andromache complained that the rabbits had been overcooked. Nicolo burrowed deeper into Yusuf's embrace to hide his face as Quynh's laughter rang out into the star-filled night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So instead of writing my other fics, I was scrolling through Twitter and immediately fell in love with the fanart. It is so cute and wholesome! Then I made it less wholesome with my fic cause my brain is in the gutter...
> 
> Did a little research on Yusuf's instrument. It's called an oud and it sounds beautiful. Yusuf al-Kaysani is a man of many talents.
> 
> You can find me at [my Tumblr page](https://kiaya.tumblr.com/). Thank you for reading!!


	2. And They Danced the Night Away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this lovely fanart.](https://twitter.com/45gnt3_3/status/1330311013992951808?s=19) I am loving Andy and Booker's hijinks!!!

Nile looked around the table and felt her back muscles ache from the tension in the air.

The last few months had been a whirlwind of unexpected activity. After they left Booker by the Thames, Nile had thought they would lay low for a while until the dust settled. But the sudden reappearance of Quynh had upended all of those plans. It was not easy or pleasant but they managed to overcome their issues and start the healing process for everyone. Not for the first time or the last, Nile sent up a silent prayer of thanks that it had not ended in tragedy.

The only real wrinkle was that Booker was back about 99 years earlier than promised.

Nile tried to be subtle as her eyes darted from person to person at the dinner table. Andy was drinking sparkling apple cider because Nicky had put his foot down on her alcohol consumption. Her new mortal liver would not last very long at the rate she used to drink. Joe was putting more dressing into his salad and making a sopping mess. Nicky was methodically cutting his steak into bite sized pieces before consuming them. As for Booker, he had barely touched his food.

This was very different from the first dinner Nile shared with her immortal family. She had been confused and disoriented but they had welcomed her with warm smiles. Now almost a year since that night in France, their little group was trying to cope with their new reality. The rest of the meal was finished in relative silence.

Nicky and Joe volunteered to clean up so that left Andy, Booker and Nile to figure out what to do with themselves. They ended up migrating to the living room and sat on the couches. After a few more minutes of uncomfortable silence, Nile picked up the remote control.

“Hey, how about we watch something on TV? Maybe there’s a good movie on.” Nile winced slightly at how cheerful her voice sounded. She hadn’t felt this much awkwardness since her mother found her brother’s stash of porn magazines.

Since neither Booker or Andy replied, she started changing the channels for something interesting. There were the usual sitcoms, news, and hospital dramas but none of those caught Nile’s eye. Then she stopped channel surfing when a show with bright costumes and loud music blared out of the television. She froze, indecision etched all over her face.

Booker looked at the screen and then at Nile. He could tell something was wrong. “Nile, are you okay?”

“Oh, sorry,” said Nile. She played with the braids that were cascading down her shoulders. “I used to watch this with my mom every year. It’s such a silly show but it made us laugh.”

Andy nudged her chin toward the spectacle being shown. “What is this?”

“It’s called Dancing with the Stars. Basically, a bunch of B-list celebrities who don’t know how to dance gets paired up with a professional. Then they get judged on their performances until one person is crowned the winner.”

His face was inscrutable but Nile could tell Booker was quietly amused. He watched as one contestant tried to tango his way across the dance floor. “This looks...like a train wreck.”

Nile laughed at his assessment. “That’s the point! I mean, some of the dancers get pretty good but you always have at least one person that sticks out like a sore thumb.” She shook her head as she was remembering an old conversation. “My mom and I would fight all the time about which one of us would win if we got on the show.”

“Oh? You know how to dance?” asked Booker. A slow grin spread across his handsome face.

“What? Did you think I couldn't?” Nile’s tone held a hint of challenge and bravado. “I bet I could outdance you any day.”

“Did someone say dancing?”

Nile turned to see Nicky standing behind the couch. He was wiping the last of the water from his hands with a kitchen towel. Joe was not far behind as he finished pushing the chairs under the dining table.

“Yeah I did. Booker here seems to think I can’t dance.” She pointed to the Frenchman as he lifted his hands in denial.

“I never said you couldn’t dance. I was just expressing my surprise at this new facet of you,” replied Booker.

Nicky watched the screen and winced slightly at the missteps being televised. He had been in Argentina when the tango was born and this was not it. “Well, I can certainly do better than that.”

Her mouth gaping, Nile stared at Nicky in disbelief. “You? Tango? Are you kidding me?”

“I must admit Joe is the best among us but I am proficient.” Nicky looked at his husband and smiled faintly. “Remember that time in Buenos Aires?”

“What time in Buenos Aires?” Joe asked. When Nicky continued to smile, he grinned back and nodded. “Oh, that time in Buenos Aires.”

A pillow hit Joe in the face as Andy huffed in annoyance. “I don’t want to hear about your sex vacations, okay? I just had dinner.”

For a moment, Nile had wondered if it was going to be another São Paulo 1834. When it was obvious that wasn't the case, she was relieved that Andy put a stop to that particular story telling. She wasn’t ready to think about her family members doing the tango in the bedsheets just yet. 

“If I remember correctly, Booker is a decent dancer,” said Joe as scowled at Andy. He pointed to Nile and then at Booker. “Do we need to have a little competition like this TV show to see who is better?”

Nile’s eyes lit up in excitement. Suddenly the answer to their dreary evening was presented to her. If she could get these old curmudgeons to loosen up a bit, maybe they could readjust to being a family again. She turned to Booker and crossed her arms with a smirk.

“$200 that I could beat your ass on the dance floor.” Nile pulled out her wallet and slapped the cash on the coffee table.

Booker looked at the wad of bills and snorted in derision. “Only $200? This is amateur hour.”

Before Nile could protest, Nicky leaned over and threw down more money on to the table. “I’ll add $500 to that. Nile is going to need a partner for this competition.” 

“Yes!” Nile said excitedly. “Booker needs a partner too. Who volunteers?” She looked between Joe and Andy then smiled at the scowling face of their boss. “Come on, Andy. Why don’t you help Booker lose gracefully?”

“Like fucking hell I will. Joe can dance with Booker,” growled Andy.

“I’d rather be the judge,” replied Joe. 

“What? You must be joking,” exclaimed Booker. “How can you be impartial when judging your own husband?

They all continued to squabble over who was dancing with whom until finally Nicky told everyone to be quiet. Then he flipped a coin to decide the arrangement. Despite Andy’s continued protests, she was paired up with Booker and Joe was the judge.

“I never agreed to do this so the selection is invalid.” Andy got up and started stomping her way back to the bedroom.

“Oh, so you’re going to be a total coward,” mocked Nile. “You know you’re going to lose so just chickening out, huh?”

Andy stopped in her tracks and slowly turned around. If looks could kill, the glare she shot at Nile would have been deadly. Then she turned that gaze at Booker. “You better pull your weight because I plan to win.” Then she pointed at Joe in a threatening manner. “And you better stay impartial with the judging!”

Joe held up his hands in a solemn manner. “I swear on my ancestors’ graves.”

They started pushing all the furniture in the living toward the walls to create a dance floor. Joe was fiddling with his phone to make a playlist for this impromptu dance off while Nicky gave suggestions. After a few minutes, music started coming out of the living room speakers.

“How did you do that?” Nile asked.

“Bluetooth speakers,” said Joe while holding up his phone. “Booker isn't the only one proficient in technology.”

Andy looked up from moving the last of the furniture. “Just don’t make it too loud. We don’t want to wake up Quynh.”

At the mention of that name, the atmosphere got strained again. Nile had momentarily forgotten about her. After they had resolved their differences, Quynh had started her journey of healing and reacclimation. Her sleep pattern was unpredictable and she still had screaming nightmares. Despite everyone’s protests, she insisted on sleeping in a separate location to not disturb the others. 

The eventual solution was a duplex house that Copley purchased to be their new lodging. That way, they could all be close but Quynh could have the privacy she needed when she wanted to rest. It pained Nile to see how much Andy, Nicky and Joe just wanted to envelop her in their love. But seeing Quynh struggle to adjust made them hold back and respect her request. For now at least.

“Don’t worry boss, I won’t make it too loud.” Joe pointed at the wall that connected the two houses together. “Besides, these old buildings have pretty thick walls.”

They decided on three rounds of dancing. Whoever won two rounds first would be the winners. After more bickering, the dances chosen were the Viennese Waltz, Foxtrot, and the Quickstep. Andy and Booker vetoed all the Latin dances because the potential for more intimate touching made both of them nauseous. 

“Oh wait, I’m not ready yet.” Joe dashed off to the kitchen and grabbed the bottle of red wine that Nicky opened for their dinner. He poured himself a big glass and toasted the others. “Okay, now I’m ready.”

Nicky and Nile went first. Even though Nicky had started off as a terrible dancer about 900 years ago, he improved greatly since then. He spun Nile around with ease as they foxtrotted their way through the music. Joe gave a hearty applause after they were done but had to stop when Andy scowled at him.

Then it was Andy and Booker’s turn. Booker lifted up his hands into position but the Scythian looked at him with a blank expression.

“Are you under the impression that you will be leading?” Andy asked. 

“Uh...yes?”

“Tell me, Booker...between you and me, who do you think has the bigger balls?”

The Frenchman gulped in apprehension. “Is this a trick question?”

“Okay, let me put this another way. Who shot the other in the stomach from behind like a total jackass?” Andy arched a single eyebrow in a show of superiority.

“Touché.” Booker switched his position. “I don’t know how good I’m going to be from this side.”

Andy chuckled menacingly. “Don’t worry, Booker. Just follow my lead.”

Despite teaming up at the last minute, Andy and Booker managed to dance fairly well with the music. It helped that Andy was almost as tall as Booker so their stance wasn’t thrown off too badly. When the music came to a stop, they looked at Joe expectantly.

“What’s the verdict, judge?” Andy asked. 

Joe drank deeply from his wine glass and closed his eyes to think. A few minutes passed before he pointed his finger at Andy and Booker. They cheered and gave each other high fives of celebration.

“What? How come?” Nile had her hands on her waist in exasperation. “They totally flubbed that last bit!”

Joe sighed and drank more of his wine. He was going to need a refill soon. “Yes, but they made up for it in the middle with that transition move. It was close but I'm going to give the point to them.”

“Stop bitching and dance already.” Andy sat beside Joe on the couch and stole a sip of his wine. “We’re just getting started.”

The second round with the Quickstep was also a nailbiter. But this time, Nile and Nicky managed to edge out the win. They cheered as they evened the score with just one dance left. Joe had drank half the bottle at this point but assured everyone he was fully capable of judging.

Finally, it came down to the Viennese Waltz. Both teams put on their best foot forward but Joe was unable to decide. He suggested that they all dance simultaneously so he can clearly see the difference.

"Are you nuts? There's barely room in here for one pair!" Booker pointed his thumb at Andy. "And she almost killed me with that last dip. I thought my spine was going to snap." 

"That would be a new one for you, huh Booker? Death by Waltz?" Joe started laughing at his own terrible joke and almost spilled the wine.

Nile gave Nicky a sidelong glance. "Your husband is drunk."

Nicky smiled fondly. "But he's an adorable drunk."

Rolling her eyes in disgust, Nile grabbed Nicky by his arm and went back to the dance floor. "Come on, Romeo, let's win us a bet!"

Both pairs of dancers tried to avoid each other but Booker had been right, there was not enough space. They kept colliding and yelling curses in various languages. Joe was having a fit of giggles as he saw the spectacle unfolding before him.

As it got more ridiculous, Nile abandoned all care and just enjoyed the moment. Nicky indulged her by spinning her around faster and laughed when her braids hit him in the face. 

On the other hand, Andy had taken up the gauntlet that Booker had thrown over her dipping skills. Her face was a mask of concentration as Booker's whole body quivered with the effort to not fall backwards. But she pushed her luck too far and Booker lost his footing. He fell hard to the floor and Andy toppled on top of him. Then Nile tripped over them and she fell as well. Only Nicky had the sense to let go and not join the pile of bodies.

Joe was bent over and laughing so hard that he fell off the couch. He spilled the wine on himself but laughed even harder when Andy, Booker, and Nile started yelling at each other. Nicky had his face in his hands as though he could block out the sight of his family arguing over who was the most at fault.

They probably would have kept fighting if not for the doorbell ringing loudly into the air.

Frozen in a strange tableau, they all looked at the door in mild horror. But since Nicky was the only one standing, he walked to the front and opened the door.

It was Quynh.

She looked at Nicky nervously but then asked a question in her soft beautiful voice. "I heard music coming from this side and I was wondering if...there was some kind of celebration going on. Did I miss anything?"

For a split second, Nicky hesitated. But his heart overruled his fears and he enveloped Quynh in his arms. She gasped a little in surprise but then slowly returned the embrace. That small act immediately brought Nicky to tears.

"No, Quynh. You didn't miss anything. Actually, you're here just in time." Nicky whispered those words while he buried his face into her silky hair. It was still the same glossy color and Nicky remembered campfire and starlight reflecting off those black tresses. That was many years ago and he thanked all that was Holy that his dear sister was back with them.

"My heart, would you like to join us?" Andy was back on her feet and holding out an inviting hand. "It's been a while since we danced, has it not?"

A small smile graced Quynh's lips. "Yes, my dear Andromache. It has indeed been a while."

********************

Later that evening, Quynh sat heavily onto the couch and noted how much Nicky had expanded his repertoire. When she expressed ignorance of a dance called "The Macarena", all five members of her family got in a line to demonstrate. At the sight of comically gyrating hips, Quynh's laughter rang out into the moonlit night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nicky has come a long way in 900+ years of life...and the idea of the Immortal Husbands dancing the tango live rent free in my mind...
> 
> I purposely wrote this to parallel the first chapter in tone and outcome. I hope I was able to convey that.
> 
> Thank you again for all the comments and kudos!!
> 
> You can find me at [my Tumblr page](https://kiaya.tumblr.com/). Thank you for reading!


End file.
